THE RADAR AT Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) broke down at the beginning of August and has been out of service ever since, according to a report.

The Citizen reported that a source working at the airport said the radar experienced a power failure since 3 August rendering it useless.

If the situation continues, the source said major airlines like British Airways, Quatar Airways and Emirates will have to stop flying into the airport for safety reasons.

This evening BBC Africa tweeted that airport officials confirmed the report:

Sources said air traffic controllers at JNIA have been using a method of air traffic control without the use of the radar for the last two weeks. This method is unpopular with pilots who are accustomed to radar and GPS as air traffic controllers are often relying on guesswork to guide a plane.

It is understood that the Tanzanian Civil Aviation Authority was told about the radar’s problematic power supply in 2010 but no action was taken.

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